Disney’s ‘Moana 2’ premiere celebrates Hawaiian culture

The world premiere of Disney’s “Moana 2” sailed to Oahu Thursday alongside a celebration of Pacific Island heritage.

In the story, three years have passed since Moana’s adventures in the first hit movie. “In the beginning, she thought about whether she could be a pathfinder,” Auli’i Cravalho, speaking of the title character, told Reuters.

“When we see her again, she’s a…master navigator.”

The film also takes Moana on a journey into the future, so she travels “even further out,” Cravalho added.

“Moana 2,” directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller, hits theaters Nov. 27.

In it, Moana receives a sudden call from her ancestors to travel to the seas and break the curse of the god Nalo, which prevents the people of various islands from reconnecting.

She must form her own team and reunite with her friend, the demigod Maui, played by Dwayne Johnson.

“Maui’s journey in ‘Moana 2’ means a few things to me,” Johnson said.

“Number one, legacy, and number two, the character Maui was largely inspired by my grandfather, who is buried here (Hawaii), so it’s pretty meaningful to me,” he added.

The premiere opened with performances from Hawaiian dancers wearing leis and waving Hawaiian flags.

The film is highly anticipated after Disney’s second 2024 animated sequel “Inside Out 2” crossed the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office less than three weeks after its release – the fastest any animated film has reached that level.

The first “Moana” topped the 2016 Thanksgiving box office rankings, earning a mighty $81.1 million over the five-day holiday period.